Faculty Bios

Jonathan U. Davis joined Sun Mountain Community School as Head of School in July 2025, bringing with him a deep commitment to child-centered education, community building, and inspired leadership.

Raised in Northern New Mexico by lifelong educators, Jonathan developed an early appreciation for the transformative power of learning and the importance of nurturing the whole child. His educational journey reflects both creativity and leadership, grounded in a belief in the wonder and potential of every student.

Jonathan studied Drama and Dance at The Colorado College before immersing himself in Waldorf education in Boulder, Colorado, where he apprenticed under experienced Waldorf teachers and deepened his understanding of holistic education. He later co-founded The Studio School, a successful public arts magnet school in Colorado, and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Denver.

His work has spanned diverse educational communities. In Zuni, New Mexico, Jonathan served as the leader of Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary, where he helped weave traditional Zuni arts and cultural teachings into the life of the school. Prior to joining Sun Mountain, he served as principal of Kearny Elementary in Santa Fe.

Jonathan brings to Sun Mountain a visionary approach rooted in creativity, collaboration, and a profound respect for childhood. He is dedicated to supporting the school’s mission and nurturing a vibrant learning community where students, families, and educators can thrive together.

Under his leadership, Sun Mountain Community School continues its journey as a growing beacon for public Waldorf education in New Mexico and beyond.

 Helen McDonald brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education. For 11 years, she served as the director and lead teacher of an arts-based, parent cooperative early childhood program. Deeply inspired by the values of Waldorf education, Helen is passionate about the power of play, the role of imagination, the beauty of storytelling and the arts, and the essential connection between children and the natural world.

Helen holds a BA in Studio Art and Art Therapy from the College of Santa Fe and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. She has served as a mentor teacher, a board member of the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children, and as a faculty member in the Early Childhood Department at CNM. She also participated in the Santa Fe Opera’s Early Childhood Initiative and has been part of the leadership team at the Collaborative Teachers Institute since 2014. When not in the classroom, Helen enjoys painting, gardening, singing, and recently spent a summer studying painting in southern France.

Helen is honored to join Sun Mountain Community School and looks forward to deepening her work in Waldorf pedagogy and practice.

 Helen McDonald brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education. For 11 years, she served as the director and lead teacher of an arts-based, parent cooperative early childhood program. Deeply inspired by the values of Waldorf education, Helen is passionate about the power of play, the role of imagination, the beauty of storytelling and the arts, and the essential connection between children and the natural world.

Helen holds a BA in Studio Art and Art Therapy from the College of Santa Fe and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. She has served as a mentor teacher, a board member of the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children, and as a faculty member in the Early Childhood Department at CNM. She also participated in the Santa Fe Opera’s Early Childhood Initiative and has been part of the leadership team at the Collaborative Teachers Institute since 2014. When not in the classroom, Helen enjoys painting, gardening, singing, and recently spent a summer studying painting in southern France.

Helen is honored to join Sun Mountain Community School and looks forward to deepening her work in Waldorf pedagogy and practice.

Jennifer Baker Warren is a Waldorf-trained educator with more than 30 years of experience teaching and leading in schools across the United States and internationally. She holds a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Rudolf Steiner College, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Sacred Heart University, and a BA in Classical Studies from Middlebury College.

Her teaching journey has included work in early childhood, elementary, and middle school classrooms, as well as extensive experience in school leadership, admissions, and educational development. She has taught in Waldorf and independent schools in New Mexico, Arizona, Connecticut, and Nepal, bringing a broad and deeply informed perspective to her work with children.

In the first grade classroom, Jennifer brings a warm, steady presence and a strong commitment to Waldorf education. She creates a learning environment rooted in rhythm, imagination, and connection to nature, supporting children as they move from wonder into foundational academic learning through story, movement, and artistic experience.

Erin Nadon began her teaching career in 2009 and has taught in public and private schools in Santa Fe since 2012. She builds a warm, structured environment where students feel safe and inspired to learn. Her methods have consistently reflected the Waldorf approach, emphasizing movement
and rhythm, storytelling and imaginative activities, and connections among students. Erin is drawn to Waldorf education for its holistic understanding of child development, and is committed to the Waldorf public school movement.

Erin earned her BA in history from Metropolitan State University and her MA in education from Regis University. She holds a Level III License with endorsements in Reading and Social Studies. Erin acquired arts integration training through Artworks and the NMArt Program at the Santa Fe Opera. She
is Brain Gym-certified and has continued to grow as a teacher through the Academy for the Love of Learning’s transformational learning programs. Recently, Erin began her Waldorf training at Gradalis in Boulder, Colorado.

Erin enjoys spending time with her family, as well as gardening, reading, meditation, and music.

 Kacie Smith is thrilled to be returning to New Mexico and joining the Sun Mountain faculty. She recently completed her Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch University while teaching at The Hartsbrook School in Massachusetts. Kacie brings with her a vibrant blend of artistry, nature connection, and a deep love of children.

She holds an MFA in Art & Ecology from the University of New Mexico and has a long-standing relationship with Waldorf education—as a former student of the Waldorf School of Orange County, a faculty member at the San Francisco Waldorf School, and as a founding kindergarten teacher at both the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School and Golden Bridges School. She has also studied biodynamic agriculture at Rudolf Steiner College.

Kacie is passionate about the integration of arts, nature, music, and storytelling in Waldorf education. She looks forward to guiding her students through the wonder and joy of Second grade.

 For Ingrid Halverson, joining the Sun Mountain Community School faculty feels like coming home. She began her journey in Santa Fe as a student at St. John’s College, and later earned her Master’s in Education from the University of Minnesota, along with her Waldorf teaching certificate from Sunbridge College.

Ingrid has taught in both public and Waldorf schools—serving as a lead teacher in Wisconsin, a German teacher, and most recently as a teacher in Socorro. She brings a warm, steady presence to the classroom and a heartfelt commitment to fostering a love of learning.

She is the mother of two grown sons and enjoys singing, walking, and exploring the natural beauty of New Mexico. Ingrid is delighted to return to her Waldorf roots and to share her passion for teaching with the Sun Mountain community.

Ayla Mae Wild comes to Sun Mountain from the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. She began her teaching career in outdoor education in Yosemite National Park, and worked seasonally as a park ranger focused on Wilderness Education in Yosemite’s backcountry. She pursued Waldorf education for its sense of creativity, media-free classrooms, and inherent longer term connection with students.

She recently graduated her class after teaching them for six years, and is thrilled to begin her next chapter at a publicly-funded Waldorf school in the high desert. Ayla holds her undergrad degree from Prescott College in both Place-Based Education and Children’s Book Writing & Illustrating, and received her Waldorf teaching credential from Antioch University.

Outside of school, Ayla can be found mountain biking, backpacking, studying natural history and ecology, weaving willow baskets, bikepacking, cross country skiing, painting, singing, and cooking elaborate meals. She is almost always accompanied by her dog, Topo.

Mary Moon has a bachelor’s degree in History, with a minor in Women’s & Gender Studies from the University of Montana. She holds an Elementary Education Teacher Certification through the Santa Fe Community College and is currently pursuing a Waldorf Teaching Certification through Gradalis in Boulder, Colorado. She also has a Forest School Practitioner’s Certification through Archimedes Earth and has spent several years teaching outdoor education and assisting in various elementary and early childhood classrooms. Last school year, she spent her time substituting in all the Sun Mountain Community School classrooms and student teaching in the sixth grade classroom.

 Zoe Wilcox is a founding teacher of Sun Mountain Community School. With 15 years of experience in Waldorf education, Zoe has taught students from Kindergarten through 8th grade across the U.S., Mexico, and Zambia, and in four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Bemba.

Zoe’s path as an educator is rooted in a passion for language, the land, and creative learning. She holds extensive training in Waldorf pedagogy and a background in permaculture and writing. She played a key role in shaping Sun Mountain’s vision, serving as the lead author of its charter application.

Zoe believes deeply in the transformative power of Waldorf education to nurture capable, compassionate, and visionary young people. When she’s not in the classroom or leading the school, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling. Her warmth, humor, and sense of possibility inspire students and colleagues alike.

With a spirit rooted in rhythm, play, and healing, Deja Mendez brings over a decade of experience as an educator and movement facilitator in the Santa Fe community. Her work is grounded in the belief that movement is a gateway to joy, confidence, and deep inner knowing.

Deja holds certifications in yoga and meditation, and has completed four years of Level I Spacial Dynamics training. Her teaching draws from a rich background in Waldorf education, dance, the performing arts, and public school physical education. Whether guiding students through spatial exercises, games, or mindfulness practices, she weaves presence, grace, and a deep respect for the wisdom of the body into every class.

A proud resident of Santa Fe for 28 years, Deja is honored to share her love of movement with the Sun Mountain community and to help children embody their full vitality and potential.

 Fletcher Lathrop brings to Sun Mountain Community School a lifetime of craft, adventure, and dedication to the art of teaching. A founding force behind the Santa Fe Waldorf School in 1983, Fletcher served as a beloved class teacher before devoting himself to the world of wood carving and sculpture—his enduring passion.

Raised by a mountaineer father and a classically trained musician mother, Fletcher grew up immersed in both wilderness and artistry. He holds a B.A. from the University of Texas and a Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College. For nearly four decades, he has guided students in transforming locally harvested wood into works of beauty and meaning, fostering patience, skill, and reverence for the natural world.

Outside the classroom, Fletcher finds joy in sidereal astrology, plasma physics, and fly fishing. A father of three Waldorf-educated children, he remains a steady and inspired presence in the Waldorf movement—shaping not just wood, but hearts and minds.